a good general of division, but not adapted for the command of a great army. "Moreau was brave," said he, indolent, and a bon vivant. He did nothing at his quartier général but loll on a sofa, or walk about with a pipe in his mouth. He scarcely ever read a book. His disposition was naturally good, but he was influenced by his wife and mother-in-law, who were two intriguers. I recommended Moreau to marry her at the desire of Josephine, who loved her because she was a creole. Moreau had fallen greatly in public estimation on account of his conduct towards Pichegru.* After Leoben, the senate of Venice were foolish enough to stir up a rebellion against the French armies, without being either sufficiently strong themselves, or having adequate assistance from other powers to promise the slightest hope of success. In consequence of this, I caused Venice to be occupied by the French troops.

* While Napoleon was at Moscow, Count Daru received a letter from Madame Moreau praying of him to ask the emperor to permit her to return to France for a few months on private and indispensable business. Daru knowing that the best mode of obtaining any thing from Napoleon was by being candid and open, showed him the letter. "Oui," replied the emperor, "elle doit être venue, et elle dait déjà être repartie." Daru said that a woman could not be dangerous. "Elle vient intriguer," answered Napoleon. "Perhaps you are one of those who think that Moreau is a good citizen? "Sire," replied Daru," je crois que sous le rapport du civisme et du patriotisme, le caractère de Moreau est inattaquable.” "Eh bien, vous vous trompez," said Napoleon, and the subject was dropped. At Dresden, in 1813, while Napoleon was at breakfast along with Maréchal Victor and Daru, a Russian flag of truce was announced. After the person who bore it had accomplished his mission, Napolean asked him some questions relative to the disorder which he had observed in the advanced posts of the enemy's army on the preceding day, and if the Russians had not lost some officer of distinction. The officer replied, "No." Cependant," said Napoleon, " il y a eu du desordre : à tel poste on a emporté quelqu'un blessé ou tué." "Je ne suche pas," replied the officer, “que nous ayons perdu personne, à moins que votre majesté ne veuille parler du Général Moreau, qui a été blessé à mort aux avant postes." "Le Général Moreau ?" repeated Napoleon, and afterwards making a sign with his head to Daru, "eh bien !"Daru instantly recollected the conversation at Moscow, when Napoleon had made use of the same words, at which time he had supposed that the emperor's opinion had been influenced by personal motives, and allowed that he was now obliged to acknowledge that he had judged right, and that Moreau was far from being a good citizen.

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An agent of the Bourbons, the Count d'Entraigues, whom I suppose you have heard of in England, was. there at the time. Fearing the consequences, he escaped out of Venice; but on his way to Vienna (I think he said) he was arrested on the Brenta by Bernadotte, with all his papers. As soon as it was known who he was, he was sent to me, being esteemed a man of some importance. Amongst his papers we found his plans, and the correspondence of Pitchegru with the Bourbons. I had them immediately attested by Berthier and two others, sealed and sent to the directory, as they were of the greatest consequence. I then examined d'Entraigues myself, who, when he saw that the contents of his papers were known, thought there was no use in attempting concealment any longer, and confessed every thing. He even told me more than I could possibly have expected; let me into the secret plans of the Bourbons with the names of their English partisans, and, in fact, the information I obtained from him was so full and so important, that it determined me how to act on the moment, and was the chief cause of the measures I then pursued and of the proclamation which I issued to the army, warning them, that, if necessary, they would be called upon to cross the mountains, and re-enter their native country to crush the traitors who were plotting against the existence of the republic. At this time Pitchegru was chief of the legislative body. The Count d'Entraigues was so communicative, that I really felt obliged to him, and I may say that he almost gained me. He was a man of talent and acuteness, intelligent and pleasant to converse with, though he proved afterwards to be a mauvis sujet. Instead of putting him in confinement, I allowed him to go where he pleased in Milan, gave him every indulgence, and did not even put him in surveillance. A few days afterwards I received orders from the directory to cause him to be shot, or what in those times was equivalent to it, to try him by a military commission, and sentence to be immediately executed. I wrote to the directory that he had given very useful information, and did not deserve such a return ; and finally, that I could not execute it; that if

they still insisted upon shooting him, they must do it themselves. Shortly after this, d'Entraigues escaped into Switzerland, from whence the coquin had the impudence to write a libel, accusing me of having treated him in the most barbarous manner, and even with having put him in irons; when the fact was, that I had allowed him so much liberty, that it was not until after he had escaped for several days that his flight was discovered, and then only by having seen the arrival of the Count d'Entraigues notified in the Swiss papers, which at first was thought to be impossible, but on sending to examine his quarters, it was found to be true. This conduct of d'Entraigues greatly displeased all who at Milan had been witnesses of the indulgent manner in which I treated him. Amongst ethers, some ambassadors and diplomatic characters were so much offended, that they drew up and signed a declaration contradictory of these accusations. In consequence of the information gained from d'Entraigues, Pichegru was banished to Cayenne."

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"Immediately after the seizure of d'Entraigues, Desaix came to see me. Conversing with him about Pichegru, I remarked that we had been greatly deceiv ed, and expressed my surprise that his treason had not been discovered sooner. 6 Why,' said Desaix, knew of it three months ago.' 'How can that be possible?' I replied. Desaix then recounted to me the manner in which Moreau, with whom he had been at that time, had found in the baggage of the Austrian general Klingspor a correspondence of Pichegru's, in which his plans in favour of the Bourbons were detailed, and those of the false manœuvres which he intended to put in practice. I asked Desaix if this had been communicated to the directory? He replied, 'no,' that Moreau did not wish to ruin Pichegru; and had desired him to say nothing about it. I told Desaix that he had acted very wrong; that he ought immediately to have sent all the papers to the directory, as I had done; that in fact it was tacitly conniving at the destruction of his native country. As soon as Moreau was informed that Pichegru was found out, he denounced him to the army as a

traitor, and sent to the directory the papers containing the proofs of it, which he had kept concealed in his possession for some months, and allowed Pichegru to be chosen chief of the legislative body; though he knew that he was plotting the destruction of the republic. Moreau was accused this time, and with justice, of double treachery. Thou hast first,' it was said, 'betrayed thy country, by concealing the treason of Pichegru, and afterwards thou hast uselessly betrayed thy friend, by disclosing what thou oughtest to have made known before; but which, when concealed by thee until it was discovered by other means, ought to have ever remained a secret in thy breast.' Moreau never recovered the

esteem of the public again."

I mentioned the retreat of Moreau, and asked if he had not displayed great military talents in it?" That retreat," replied the emperor, "instead of being what you say, was the greatest blunder that ever Moreau committed. If he had, instead of retreating, made a détour, and marched in the rear of Prince Charles," (I think he said,) "he would have destroyed or taken the Austrian army.-The directory were jealous of me, and wanted to divide, if possible, the military reputation; and as they could not give credit to Moreau for a victory, they did for a retreat, which they caused to be extolled in the highest terms; though even the Austrian generals condemned Moreau for having done it. You may probably hereafter," continued Napoleon," have an opportunity of hearing the opinion of French generals on the subject, who were present, and you will find it consonant to mine. Instead of credit, Moreau merited the greatest censure and disgrace for it. As a general, Pichegru had much more talents than. Moreau."

"Moreau ridiculed the idea of the formation of the legion of honour. When he heard from some one that it was also intended to be given to those who had distinguished themselves in science, and not to be confined to feats of arms alone, he replied, Well, then, I shall apply for my cook to be made a commander of the order, as his talents are most superior in the science of cookery."

In reply to some arguments which I offered to convince him that *** and the English ***** were ignorant of that part of Pichegru's plot which embraced assassination, Napoleon replied, "I do not suppose that **** or any other of the English ***** actually said to Georges or Pichegru, you must kill the first consul;' but they well knew that such formed the chief and indeed the only hope of success; and yet they, knowing this, furnished them with money, and provided ships to land them in France, which, to all intents and purposes, rendered them accomplices; and if *** had been tried by an English jury' he would have been condemned as such. Lord **** took great pains to persuade the foreign courts that they were ignorant of the project of assassination, and wrote several letters, in which he acknowledged that the English had landed men for the purpose of overturning the French government ; but denied the other. However, he made a very lame business of it, and none of the continental governments gave any credit to his assertions. It was naturally condemned as, on the ground of retaliation, none of the sovereigns or rulers were safe. It was at the time that I had it in contemplation to effect a descent in England. Your *** did not want to get rid of Napoleon Bonaparte, but of the first consul.' Fox had some conversations with me on the subject of the 3rd Nivose. He too, like you, denied that the *** were privy to the scheme of assassination, but faintly, after hearing what I had to say, and condemned the whole transaction. Indeed his own measures were quite opposed to it. The conduct of the Emperor of Germany also formed a striking contrast. When I had possession of his capital, he, through religious motives, positively and with sincerity prohibited any attempt of the kind, which might have been executed daily, as I often walked about without suspicion."

During the conversation, I mentioned that Bernadotte had been strongly suspected of being lukewarm in the cause of the allies, if not of playing a double part; that he was called Charles Jean Charlatan, and suppos ed to be likely to join him if any reverse happened to the